Closure construction



July 13, 1965 J. L. cox

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July 13, 1965 J. cox

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CLUSURE CONSTRUCTION a Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 18, 1962 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,194,454 CLQSURJE CUNEETRUCTIUN Joe L. Cox, 609 Hendrix, Qlaremont, Qalif. Filed 0st. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 231,371 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-545) This invention relates to a closure construction for a hopper discharge opening. The invention particularly relates to a closure construction for vehicles which are designed for transporting and hauling flowable bulk material such as cementitious mixtures, sand, hydroscopic materials, or other particulate mixtures, especially finely divided materials which tend to leak and, under some road and atmospheric conditions, tend to clog or render valve means for a discharge opening difficult to operate.

Some prior proposed closure constructions for similar hopper openings are disclosed in US. Letters Patent 2,616,758; 2,701,666; and 2,877,938. These constructions have been generally successful and satisfactory in actual use. In the latter two patents, a closure plate means or closure boot flow control means are located by sliding the closure means on a pair of rails or supports located in a lower position below the hopper discharge opening, the rails then being vertically movable with the closure means thereon to an upper position for sealing the discharge opening. Sliding assembly of the closure means with the lowered rails was usually readily accomplished until foreign matter or escaping bulk material in the hopper began to accumulate on the rails and obstruct free sliding movement of the closure means thereon into position below the hopper opening. In order to clean the rails, it was necessary to crawl beneath the hopper and apply a scraping tool or a stiff brush to the rail surfaces to remove accumulated obstructing foreign particles or matter.

The present invention contemplates a closure construction for a hopper discharge opening wherein, generally speaking, the closure means is supported on a vertically movable closure support frame so that the closure means may be positioned in proximate upper position with respect to the hopper opening for sealing the opening or, may be positioned into a lower distal position from the hopper opening from which lower position the closure support frame is pivotally swung outwardly from beneath the hopper opening in order to facilitate the placement thereon of a closure plate or of a closure flow control means. The present invention thus contemplates an improved closure construction wherein the surfaces, which support a closure means including a closure plate or a closure flow control means, may be readily available for cleaning and inspection while, at the same time, an improved seal is ultimately provided when the closure construction is in closed position. Moreover, the construction of the present invention permits the accurate, precise location of the closure plate means or closure flow control means and to assure a complete peripheral uniform seal around the hopper opening.

The closure construction of the present invention also has other advantages in operation and use. For example, when material is to be unloaded on a conveyor type belt, the closure support frame may be swung completely away from the hopper opening and thus greater ground clearance is provided for positioning a belt conveyor thereunder. Prior closure support means are fixed or immovably attached to the hopper housing and ground clearance was not readily increased without a substantial change in design.

The present invention also contemplates a closure construction readily adapted for hauling grain and like flowable materials. When the butterfly valves are removed, fiow of the material may be controlled by rotating the closure support frame to a selected position for varying flow opening at the bottom of the hopper.

An object of this invention therefore is to disclose and provide a closure construction for a hopper discharge opening which obviates disadvantages of prior proposed constructions and which includes numerous advantages in its construction.

An object of the invention is to disclose and provide a closure construction for a hopper means wherein a closure support frame is movable to a lower position with respect to a hopper opening and is pivotally swingable from beneath the hopper opening for ready asso ciation with a closure plate means or a closure flow control means.

An object of the invention is to disclose and provide an improved closure construction providing a uniform peripheral seal.

Another object of this invention is to disclose and provide a closure construction embodying novel mounting means for a closure support frame in which the closure support frame may be readily vertically moved and pivotally moved.

A still further object of the invention is to disclose and provide a closure construction for a hopper opening wherein a uniform seal around the periphery of the opening is provided independently of valve means in said opening.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the drawings in which an exemplary embodiment is shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the lower portion of a hopper means, the view being partly in section, the section being taken along a vertical plane bisecting the hopper opening longitudinally and showing the closure gate in closed or upper position.

FIG. 2 is an end view of FIG. 1, the view being taken from the plane indicated by line 11-11 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken in the horizontal planes indicated by lines IIIIII of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view partly in section showing the closure gate in lower position.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken in the same plane as that of FIG. 1 and showing the valve means in open position and a flow control means supported by the closure frame in upper closed position.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken in the same plane as FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of cam means for vertically displacing the closure gate.

An exemplary embodiment of this invention shown in FIG. 1 comprises a hopper means 10 forming part of a vehicle body adapted to haul and transport flowable bulk material, finely divided particulate material such as ce ment, or other more coarsely divided materials. Hopper means it includes a bottom hopper discharge means 11 with a hopper throat 12 defining a hopper opening 14. Within the hopper throat 12 and supported from the hopper means may be a plurality of horizontally spaced butterfly-type valve means 16 and 16' mounted for rotation about respective shafts 17 and 17 to move valves 16 and 16' into open and closed positions. Between valve means 16 and 16 may be a central fixed triangular in section partition 18 having inclined surfaces 19 and 19 which terminate in edges 20 and 20' in close proximity to adjacent opposed edges of closed valves 16 and 16'. The construction of a hopper means 11, hopper throat 12, valve means 16, 16', and central partition 18 may be of any suitable design and construction.

The throat means 12 includes an external angle iron frame comprising transverse angle section members 25 and longitudinally extending angle section members 26.

Angle members 26 extend longitudinally of the hopper' opening and may be provided with outwardly extending legs 29, the inner faces 39 of upstanding legs 31 of angle members 26 being proximate to the end faces 32, 32' of respective valves 16, 16 and central partition 18 (FIG. 4). The upstanding legs 31 may carry suitable bearing means 33 for shafts 17, 17 of the valve means l6, 16. The outwardly extending legs 29 provide downwardly facing longitudinal surfaces 34 which serve with the transverse surfaces 28 to provide peripheral marginal surfaces surrounding opening 14 and defining the horizontal plane of said opening.

A continuous resilient sealing member or strip 36 may be bonded by suitable adhesive means to peripheral surfaces 34 and 28 and provides a sealing face which lies below the plane of opening 14.

Closure means for opening 14 generally comprises a closure support frame means 4t and means for pivotally mounting and latching said frame means 46, such mounting and latching means being generally indicated at 41;. In closed position, frame means -0 is adapted to support w ing member 36. The top edge of rib A e 49 may be spaced closely to peripheral surfaces 34 and 28 or may contact the surfaces. When handle 62 is swung horizontally awayfrom the throat means 12, the handle will ride down cam edge surfaced, and the frame 4t) will be lowered. Easy adjustment of nut 53 is made by lowering post 54 when'the frame means 40 is'held in upper raised position, and 'eithertightening or loosening the nut until the closure space is provided betweennutfid and handle 62. V

The post or bolt 54 on the opposite side of opening 14- is similarly constructed with respect to shank 55, handle H 62, lateral lugs 56 and 57', cylindrical truncated cam element 60 andthe porting of the lugs 56, 57, 5t) and 51'. The threaded end of bolt 54 may include thereon a beveled washer 65 secured by a pair of lock nuts 66 and 67. The shank 55 is received within sidewardly opening slots 68 provided in lugs 50' and 51' on frame 40.

As best shown in FIG. 3, frame 49, when in lower position, may be pivoted about bolt 54 and slots 68will disengage the bolt 55. One corner 7% (FIG. 3) of the frame may be cut at a selected angle in order topermit clear passage of corner 76 past clamping bolt 55' as frame do is horizontally swung away from opening 14.

a closure plate 42 to seal opening 14 (FIG. 1). In valve 7 open position, (FIG. 5), frame means 4t) is adapted to support a closure flow control means 43 having a peripheral mounting frame 44 at its top open end for supporting a flexible duct or fabric tubular boot 43a on' frame means when material is discharged from the hopper in order to confine and direct the material flow to 'a selected location.

Closure support frame means 16 may comprise transverse members 45 of box section connected at opposite ends by angle section lonigtudinal members 46. The top surfaces 47 and 4% of the members 46 and45 define a continuous peripheral surface opposed to the peripheral surfaces fi land 28 on throat means 12. The width of the opposed surfaces are such that surfaces 47 and 43 are directly opposite and included within the width of the surfaces 34 and 23. The top surfaces 47 and 48 may carry an upstanding continuous sealing metal rib 49 se cured thereto in suitable manner and positioned peripherally outside of resilient sealing member 36. When frame means 40 is in its upper position, rib 49 overlaps the outer peripheral edge margin of resilient member 36 and serves to provide an external bafile rib assisting to prevent entrance of foreign matter, moisture, and the like into the vicinity of opening 14.

Means for mounting the frame means 40 includes laterally projecting spaced lugs 5t and St on box section member 45' and spaced laterally projecting lugs 56 and 51 on box section member 45, A pivot post or bolt 54 comprises a cylindrical shank 55' which slidably extends through aligned ports in vertically spaced, laterally projecting, lugs 56 and 57 secured to angle member 25, and through aligned ports in the lugs 56 and 51. The bottom end of bolt 54 may be threaded to receive a bottom securement and adjustment nut 53. Stops 53a welded to the bottom face of lug 51 on opposite sides of nut 53 restrain the nut against rotation when post 54 is in selected position. Shank 55 passes through a truncated cylindrical cam member 60 (FIG. 7) which is seated upon and secured to lug 57. Above cam member 60, bolt 54 is provided with a transverse, threaded bore 61 which receives a cooperably threaded end portion of a transversely, horizontally extending rod-like handle 62. Handle 62 bears upon the top cam edge face 63 provided by cam member 60 and acts as a head for bolt 54. When vertical space between handle 62 and nut 53 is. properly adjusted, the frame means 40 will be raised into snug, tight and uniform clamping relationship with respect to seal The purpose of beveled washer 65 with its beveled edge 65ais to facilitate assembly of frame 40 into its completely closed position with relationto bolt 54 and to urge frame 46 into proper horizontal and parallel position with respect to the plane of opening 14. It will be mounting means.

apparent that the free end of the frame may sag somewhat and such beveled surface aids in guiding frame 49 into its proper lower assembled relation with the frame To clamp and retain frame -lti in its upper position, cam members 66, 6il"may be secured to lugs 57, 57, with the axes of the cylindrical truncated cam mcrnbers'slightly olfset outwardly from the axes of the associated bolts r 54, 54, so that the top or peak of cam edges 63, 63' lie slightly outwardly of a transverse position of handles 62, 62' when they are parallel to angle members 25, 25'. Thus, the handles in such offset position'lie slightly over the peak and lock frame 40 in its uppermost closed or proximate position with respect to opening 14-. 'The Weight of frame 46) and plate 42 (or the closure flow control means 43) togetherwith the weight of any material which might accumulate on the top surface of the plate (or flow through boot 43) serves to hold handles 62, 62'

' in such locked position. To facilitate grasping of ends of handles 62, 62 in locked'positions, ends'of, handles 62, 62 may extend beyond sides of housing 26.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the axis of pivot bolt 54 is spaced from the longitudinal centerline of opening 14, and the axis of bolt 54' spaced therefrom but on the opposite side of the centerline. Thus the pivot axis about which frame 46 swings is so located that desired intermediate end support of frame 4t) .is provided without requiring additional support means or major modification of the shape of frame 46 and closure plate means associated therewith.

From the above description, operation of the closure means will be readily apparent. In closed position as shown in FIG. 1 and with a closure plate 42 supported on rigid closure frame 40, the resilient seal member 36 extending around the periphery of the surfaces 28 and 34, is under'compression between peripheral margins of closure plate 42 and the flange surfaces 34, 28. A positive,-continuous uniform seal is thereby provided for and serves to locate and position plate 42 properly on the A frame. In addition, it serves to block any external foreign matter from entering into the space between rib 49 and the peripheral edge of the plate 42 and thus provides additional sealing means for the closure means.

When closure plate 42 is in such upper closed position and valve means 16, 16' are in closed position as shown in FIG. 1, the weight of bulk material in the hopper means bears primarily against the valve means and not against the closure plate. When it is desired to open valve means 16, 16, the handles 62, 62' are grasped at their ends and lifted slightly to cause the handles to ride up over the peak of cam edges 63, 63'. Then, because of the weight of the frame, the handles are readily urged downwardly and outwardly along cam surfaces 63, 63' thus permitting frame 40 to be vertically lowered, the bolts 54, 54' being slidable downwardly in ported openings of lugs 56, 57 and 56', 57'. When frame 40 reaches its lowermost position, frame 40 may be readily pulled laterally sidewardly and pivoted about bolt 54. When frame 40 (with plate 42) is swung out from beneath opening 14, the closure plate 42 may be readily lifted and removed. Meanwhile, the valves 16, 16' are still in closed position.

A closure boot control means 43 with outwardly flanged frame 44 may then be placed on frame 40 with the flanges engaging the top surfaces 47, 48 of frame 40 as shown in FIG. 5. The boot or duct of any suitable flexible material, such as a canvas fabric material, may be placed in operative arrangement within and below frame 40. Frame 40 is then returned by swinging about its pivot bolt 54 into spaced aligned position below opening 14. Lug 51 engages beveled edge 65a of bevel washer 65 and the free end of frame 40 is urged into a proper horizontal position with slots 68 in full engagement with the bolts 54'. The handles 62, 62 may then be either simultaneously or separately inwardly and upwardly swung from their lower cam engaging position, as shown in FIG. 7, until they ride over peaks of cam edges 63,-63 thus raising frame 40 into its top position with the horizontal legs of angle member 44 in sealing engagement with seal member 36. The lower end of the fabric boot, not shown, is located at a suitable conveyor or other means which is to receive the bulk material from the hopper. The butterfly valve members 16, 16 may then be rotated into valve open position by turning shafts 17, 17 and bulk material carried in the hopper means may flow downwardly through the discharge opening and through the fabric throat 43. When discharge of material is completed, the boot means 43 may be removed by lowering frame 40, swinging frame 40 outwardly about pivot bolt 54, placing closure plate 42 thereon and returning frame 40 into aligned lower position with opening 14, and then raising frame 40 so that closure plate 42 is in sealed relation with the sealing member 36.

It will be thus apparent that a readily operable and positive sealing closure means is provided for a discharge opening for a hopper means. It should be particularly noted that collection of material on the top of the closure plate will not affect manipulation of the frame because the frame is dropped below opening 14 and such material will not affect the horizontal swinging movement of frame 40 nor affect the placement of the closure control boot 43. It is also apparent that the top peripheral surfaces on frame 40 are presented for ready inspect-ion and cleaning when frame 40 is swung fully to one side of the opening.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the present construction and all such changes and modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. In a closure construction for a hopper means provided with a material discharge opening and a valve means for said opening, the provision of: a closure means for said opening including a closure supporting frame having frame members adapted to support means cooperable with said hopper opening in closed and open positions of valve means; means mounting the closure support frame from said hopper means for displacement of the frame into proximate and distal positions from said opening, and for pivotal movement away from the hopper opening when in said distal position; said mounting means including a pivot bolt carried by said hopper means in off-center relationship with respect to an axis of the opening; said closure support frame including a latch means and said hopper means carrying a latching bolt adapted to be engaged by said frame latch means; and cam means at opposite sides of said opening adjacent to each of said pivot and latch bolts, an actuating handle connected to each of said bolts, each handle being adapted to engage the cam means adjacent said bolt for displacing the clo sure support frame by a movement of said handles along said cam means.

2. A closure means as stated in claim 1 wherein said handles and cam means lock said closure support frames in its proximate position.

3. In a hopper means including means defining a discharge opening and valve means for said opening, the provision of: downwardly facing peripheral surfaces on said hopper opening defining means, said peripheral surfaces lying in a plane below said valve means when said valve means is in closed position and defining a hopper opening plane; and closure means for said opening carried by said hopper means below said opening, said closure means comprising a closure support frame having frame members opposed to said peripheral surfaces; and means for mounting said closure support frame from the hopper means for vertical displacement of the frame into upper and lower positions and for pivotally swinging the support frame into and out of opposed relation with the peripheral surfaces when the frame is in its lower position; said mounting means including means on one side of said opening for pivotally mounting said closure frame, means on the other side of said opening for latching said closure frame in closed position, and laterally movable handles connected with said pivotally mounting means and latching means for vertically displacing said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 491,349 2/ 93 Hardoin 222-549 X 743,269 11/03 Godin. 1,113,443 10/14 Isorn 2987 1,368,886 2/21 Bradley 298--7 1,702,998 2/29 Foltis 222-557 X 2,701,666 2/ 55 Hicks 222-245 X 2,877,938 3/59 Cox 222545 X RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner. LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiner. 

1. IN A CLOSURE CONSTRUCTION FOR A HOPPER MEANS PROVIDED WITH A MATERIAWL DISCHARGE OPENING AND A VALVE MEANS FOR SAID OPENING, THE PROVISION OF: A CLOSURE MEANS FOR SAID OPENING INCLUDING A CLOSURE SUPPORTING FRAME HAVING FRAME MEMBERS ADAPTED TO SUPPORT MEANS COOPERABLE WITH SAID HOPPER OPENING IN CLOSED AND OPEN POSITIONS OF VALVE MEANS; MEANS MOUNTING THE CLOSURE SUPPORT FRAME FROM SAID HOPPER MEANS FOR DISPLACEMENT OF THE FRAME INTO PROXIMATE AND DISTAL POSITIONS FROM SAID OPENING, AND FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT AWAY FROM THE HOPPER OPENING WHEN IN SAID DISTAL POSITION; SAID MOUNTING MEANS INCLUDING A PIVOT BOLT CARRIED BY SAID HOPPER MEANS IN OFF-CENTER, RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO AN AXIS OF THE OPENING; SAID CLOSURE SUPPORT FRAME INCLUDING A LATCH MEANUS AND SAID HOPPER MEANS CARRYING A LATCHING BOLT ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY SAID FRAME LATCH MEANS; AND CAM MEANS AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID OPENING ADJACENT TO EACH OF SAID PIVOT AND LATCH BOLTS, AN ACTUATING HANDLE CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID BOLTS, EACH HANDLE BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE CAM MEANS ADJACENT SAID BOLT FOR DISPLACING THE CLOSURE SUPPORT FRAME BY A MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLES ALONG SAID CAM MEANS. 